The White House is shooting down the notion floated by one of President-elect Donald Trump's potential State Department picks that the Obama administration may have framed Russia with false hacking allegations.
Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton said over the weekend that the cyber interference in the election might have been a "false flag" and left open the possibility it was done by the Obama administration. A false flag is an operation designed to look like it was perpetrated by someone else. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says he can rule out that possibility. He says a "wide range of irresponsible conspiracy theorists" have floated the theory. Bolton has been on Trump's list of potential candidates for secretary of state. Trump's transition team says Bolton is also being considered for another State Department role.

WASHINGTON —

The White House is shooting down the notion floated by one of President-elect Donald Trump's potential State Department picks that the Obama administration may have framed Russia with false hacking allegations.

Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton said over the weekend that the cyber interference in the election might have been a "false flag" and left open the possibility it was done by the Obama administration. A false flag is an operation designed to look like it was perpetrated by someone else.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest says he can rule out that possibility. He says a "wide range of irresponsible conspiracy theorists" have floated the theory.

Bolton has been on Trump's list of potential candidates for secretary of state. Trump's transition team says Bolton is also being considered for another State Department role.